In London, drain maintenance is the homeowner’s responsibility. Homeowners maintain the drainage system up to the point where it joins the sewer. There is an exception for houses built before 1937. For such homes, the sewer and the drain system is maintained by the council itself.

Drainage systems are pipelines with inspection chambers at each joint. The inspection chambers are always covered by manhole covers. A single stack is the most common system that connects all waste water pipes.

Do not put strong or hazardous chemicals into the system. Substances such as paints, paint thinners, solvents, pesticides and flammable liquids can kill the bacteria which provide the water treatment. Furthermore, these chemicals can flow through the soil and contaminate surrounding ground water.

Do not use grease or any oil based solvent near drainage systems. The drainage system should not be used to dispose of products like cigarette butts, paper towels, or disposable nappies.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Drain Maintenance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.